Slicing machine



March 24, 1931. w. A. VAN BERKEL 1,798,113

SLICING MACHINE Filed Aug. 9, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 24, 1931. w. A. VAN BERKEL SLIGING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1928 Patented Mar. 24, 1931 FFEQ WILHELMUS A. van BERKEL, or MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR To U. s. SLIG'ING MAcHInE COMPANY, OF LA some, INDIANA. A CORPORATION or 'INDIA'NA smcme MACHINE Application filed August 9, 1928 Serial No. 298 419, and in Great Britain'september 24, 1927;

This invention relates-to machines for slicing meat and other substances and has for its object to improve the construction of such machines.

The invention broadly comprises a slicing machine having a carriage adapted to beoscillated past the sliciru knife, the carriage being fitted with an adiust'able platform on which several pieces of substance can be located in different positions at the same time. the arrangement being such that any selected one of the pieces can be brought at will, by adjusting the platform, into operative relationship with the knife and cut into "slices thereby in the ope-ration of the machine.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood one exemplary embodiment thereof will nowbe described with reference to the accompanying drawin s, whereon: 1 is a. plan of the macine; I Fig. 2 is a view showing the machine partly in elevation/and partly in section;

Fi 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing certain parts of the machine in greater detail; Fig. 4: is a detail view drawn to a large scale, of part of automatic feed mechanism, the view being in the direction of the arrow IV of Fig. 3

Fig. 5 is a section onthe line V-V of Fig. 3 showing. to a largescale a safety device hereinafter described. I

The slicing machine shown in the drawings comprises: a base 1 on which a carriage 2 is mounted. The carriage can be oscillated past a circular slicing knife 3 by rotating flywheel 4. The rotation of thefiywheel 4 causes the knife 3 also to rotate. Y

The carriage 2 is pivotally connected by a bolt 5 to the base land. is supported thereon by rollers 6. The carriage 2 is operatively connectedto the flywheel i. through the intermediary of crank-and-connecting mechanismconsisting of a rotary. crank disc. 7. journalledin the base 1, and a connecting rod 8 couplingthe carria e to the disc .7, the latter being driven .from t e flywheel shaft 9 through bevel; gearwheelsrll), 1.1. g

The" knife 13 is journaled in a hollow bracket 12 upstanding fromthe base 1 anddriven. from theflywheeishaft 9 through the intermediary of a counte-rshaft- 13, the

In the construction illustrated, provision is made for clamping four different pieces of substance, A, B, C and D at a time in the machine, there being four separate clamping devices. 19 carried in guides on one of four undertables 20. The pieces of substancemay be clamped to the feedtables by any of the various well-known means; the means shown comprises pairs of uprights 19. on each pair of which a clamping ba'r 19 is slidably mounted. v

The undertables 20 are spaced at around an adjustable platform constituted by a plate 2 1, which is capable of occupying one or other of four positions on the carriage 2. The plate 21 is centered on and held to the carriage by a pin 22 passing theret'hrou'gh. The plate 21 is locked automatically to the carriage, when the latter is moved into one or other of its four working positions; by a (letent 23 pivotally mounted on the peripheral edge of the carriage and co-operating with four spaced slots 24 in the rim of the plate. Whenever a slot 24 is moved into register with the detent 23, the latter snaps into the slot under the action of a spring .5 (see Fig. 5). Each feed-table 19 is associated with feed mechanism of well-known construction,

comprising a rotatable feed screw '26 journailed in brackets 27 on its corresponding table 20; and a segmental nut 28 carried by the feed table and. cooperating with the relative screw, 26. Automatically actuated pawl-and-ratchet mechanism for rotating the feed screivinteemittently in the operation of the machine may beprovid'ed such mechan-ism being shown in Figs. 3 and- 4; The ratchet 29 therein shown is-sec'ured to one end of the feed screw 26 and the pawl 39 is carried by one arm 3-1 of a lever freely fulerumed on anunthreaded part of the feed screw. The other arm 32 of the lever isccnnected by a link- 33 to alevc'r fulcrumed on the plate 21,

theiink; 3.3siidirig one. strip 38 onth'base.

Each device includes a feed table 3 the time being.

The lever 01 at one end has a pin-andslot connection with the link 33 and, at its other end, coacts with a striker 35, adjustably mounted in a bracket 35" on the base 1. The setting of this striker deteri'nines the thickness of the slices to be cut by the knife. A spring returns the parts to the position shown in the drawings after the striker moves out of engagement with the lever 34.

In the operation of the machine, by turning the flywheel 4 the knife is caused to rotate and the carriage 2 to oscillate. At one end of each oscillation the striker 35 displaces the lever 34 concerned and thereby causes the corresponding feed screw 26 to be partially rotated, so that a forward feeding movement is imparted to the feed table 19. As the carriage 2 moves past the knife 3 a slice is cut from the substance A by the knife. The slice is guided by a slice deflector 36 (Fig. on to a platform 37. If it should he desired to cut slices from some other of the pieces 13. and D, it is merely necessary to withdraw the detent '23 from the slot 24. engaged thereby for The plate 21 is thereafter rotated around the pin 22 until the required substance is located adjacent to the knife, the detent 23 being released so that it can engage the relative slot 24.

In the construction shown, rotation of the plate 21 in certain positions of the carriage 2 would cause the plate to foul the knife. A suitable occasion for rotating the plate 21 is when the carriage 2 is at. or near, the end of its slicing stroke. A safety device such as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 may be provided to preventrotation of the plate 21 when the ca rriage 2 is not in the correct position. The, device shown includes a lever 38 pivotally mounted below the carriage and normally urged by a spring 38 against the stop 39 car ried by the carriage into a. position in which it masks the ha mile 23" of the detent 23, thereby preventing the withdrawal thereof.

As the carriage approaches the end of the slicing stroke, the lever 38 contacts with a stationary stop 39' on the base 1 and is displaced by the stop into a position wherein it is clear of the handle of the detent, which may then be withdrawn at will. When the detent is withdrawn, the plate 21 may be freely rotated into the desired position without fear of fouling the knife.

It is to be understood that the embodiment hereinbefore described has been chosen simply as an illustrative example and that mod ifications in the constructional details may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described an embodiment of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A slicing machine comprising in combination a stationary base, a rotary slicing knife, a carriage mounted for oscillation on said base, a platform rotatably mounted on said carriage and having means thereon for holding a plurality of spaced material units to be sliced, a plurality of latch elements on said platform each adapted to co-operate with a latch element on said carriage, each of said latch elements on said platform being so spaced as to position a corresponding material unit in slicing relation with said knife when said platform is rotated to bring one of said elements on said platform in cooperative relation with the latch element on said carriage, a guard normally preventing release of said latching elements, means when said carriage is in a certain position to move said guard to permit release of said latching elements, and means for oscillating said carriage to move said selected material unit past the cutting edge of said knife.

2. A slicing machine comprising in com bination a stationary base, a rotary slicing knife, a carriage mounted for oscillation on said base. a platform rotatably mounted on said carriage and having means thereon for holding a plurality of spaced material units to be sliced, a latch carried by said carriage, said platform having a plurality of notches adapted to receive said latch to hold said platform stationary with respect to said carriage, each of said notches being spaced on said platform to position a corresponding work unit in slicing relation with said knife when said platform is rotated to bring any one of said notches in co-operative relation with said latch, a guard carried by said car riage preventing actuation of said latch ergcept when said carriage is in a definite posltion in its oscillating path, means mounted stationary with respect to said carriage and adapted to move said guard into a non obstructing position with respect to said latch when said carriage is rotated to said definite position, and means for oscillating said carriage to move said selected material unit past the cut-ting edge of said knife.

3. A slicing machine comprising in combination a stationary base, a slicing knife, a carriage pivotally mounted on said base. a platform having holding means for a plurality of material units to be sliced, said platform being rotatably mounted on said carriage to bring any one of said material units in slicing relation with said knife, a latch on said carriage and a plurality of latch cooperating means on said platform, a guard pivoted to said carriage, means yieldably holding said guard under said latch to prevent the operation thereon, a stop mounted on said base adapted to contact with said guard and turn it into n0nobstructing position with respect to said latch, and means for oscillating said carriage.

4. A slicing machine comprising in combination a stationary base, a rotary slicing knife, a carriage rotatably mounted on said base, means for oscillating said carriage, a material holding and feeding mechanism car ried by said carriage, said mechanism including an undertable, a feed table, a feed screw on said undertable co-operating with a nut on said feed table, a ratchet on said screw, ratchet and pawl mechanism for rotating said screw, a lever operatively connected with said pawl mechanism at one end and constrained to slide in the direction of the length at the other end, a pivoted lever carried by said carriage, a pin and slot connection between the sliding end of said first-n'ientioned lever and one end of said second lever, and means mounted on said base adapted to contact with and rotate said second lever, thereby sliding said first-mentioned lever and actuating said ratchet and pawl mechanism.

5. A slicing machine comprising a base member, a slicing knife rotatably mounted thereon, a rotatable support mounted on said base member, a platform pivotally mounted on said support, a plurality of substance supporting carriages mounted on said platform, a pivoted latch on said support adapted to engage said platform and hold it in fixed relation to said support, a handle for moving said member out of engagement with said platform to permit said platform to be rotated relative to said support, a pivoted guard member adapted to prevent operation of said latch due to said guard member being interposed in the path of movement of said handle, and means for moving said pivoted guard member out of operative position to permit said latch to be (,iperated by said handle.

6. A slicing machine comprising a base member, a slicing knife rotatably mounted thereon. a rotatable support mounted on said base member, a platform pivotally mounted on said support, a plurality of substance supporting carriages mounted on said platform, a pivoted latch on said support adapted to engage said platform and hold it in fixed relation to said support, a handle for moving said member out of engagen'ient with said platform to permit said platform to be rotated relative to said support. a pivoted guard member adapted to prevent operation of said latch due to said guard member being inter posed in the path of movement of said handle. and means for moving said pivoted guard member out of operative position to permit said latch to be operated by said handle comprising a fixed stop on said base member adapted to engage said pivoted guard member when said support and platform have been moved to a position at which it is de sirable to release the latch from engagement with the platform so that the latter can be rotated relative to the support to index said carriage members selectively into a position where a substance supported thereon can be sliced by said knife.

7. A slicing machine comprising in combination a stationary base, a rotary slicing knife. a carriage mounted for reciprocation on said base, a platform rotatably mounted on said carriage and having means thereon for holding a plurality of spaced material units to be sliced, a plurality of latch elements on said platform each adapted to coope ate with a latch element on said carriage, each of said latch elements on said platform being so spaced as to position a corresponding material unit in slicing relation with said knife when said platform is rotated to bring one of said elements on said platform in co-operative relation with the latch element on said carriage, a guard normally preventing release of said latching elements, means when said carriage is in a certain position to move said guard to permit release of said latching elements, and means for reciprocating said carriage to move said selected material unit past the cutting edge of said knife.

8. A slicing machine comprising a plurality of supports, one of which is superimposed on the other, means for adjusting the angular position of one of said supports relatively to the other of said supports, and means for moving said supports in unison about a fixed pivot.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this th day of July, A. D. 19:28.

WVILHELMUS A. VAN BERKEL.

Elli 

